Doctor WhoGotG: Time After Time
by technomizer
Summary: The Doctor and his companions, Bill Potts and Nardole, are pulled into another universe after discovering a rip in reality itself. Upon arrival the Doctor and Bill discover many things from a living collection, a powerful stone and a group of unlikely heroes that they may need to rely on for getting back home; if they don't kill each other first. (Part 1)


i St. Luke's University, Bristol. 2017. Planet: Earth /i

Bill was hurrying all the way to the Doctor's office. Something was wrong. She could tell. And whenever anything was wrong with the Doctor it always meant something that could potentially end the world.

Reaching his door, she gave it a few hard knocks and called "Doctor? Doctor, you in there?"

When there was no response she tried to handle, finding the door left open, and pushed her way inside. Upon immediate glance everything seemed fine. The office was still itself and the TARDIS was parked where it always was. Though there was still no sign of the Doctor.

"Doctor?" Bill called again. "Doctor? Where are you?"

When there was still no reply there was only one other place he could be: in the TARDIS. She went over and knocked on the door. The following moment felt like an eternity before it finally swung open, the old face of her Time Lord teacher looking back at her.

"Oh! Hello, Bill" he replied quickly as if nothing had been wrong.

"Uh…hi" was all she managed to say before the Doctor slammed the door in her face. Confused, and feeling a bit insulted by that, she knocked again. When the Doctor popped his head out again, asking what she wanted, Bill asked "Is anything wrong?"

"Why would you say that?" he asked.

"Well you skipped lectures today. Was starting to worry about you" Bill explained.

"Oh. I see. Bit of an odd logic, I'd say. You know just because a teacher is absent doesn't mean there's anything wrong. Sometimes they prefer to take holidays or have affairs with the janitors. That sort of thing. Doesn't mean anything's wrong." The Doctor then closed the door on her again.

Bill was starting to feel this was getting ridiculous and knocked again. When he appeared again, she asked the Doctor "So? Is there nothing wrong?"

The Doctor's tone dropped when he answered "Oh no. Indeed, there is something terribly wrong."

Only now did the Time Lord open the doors for his friend to come in. Bill entered into the TARDIS before seeing the Doctor rushing back to the control room. As she came further inside, she could see Nardole, the Doctor's other companion, working on something intensely at the TARDIS's controls. The Doctor joined him on the opposite side while peering at something on one of the monitors, making some negative comment Bill couldn't properly hear.

"Has it made any changes yet, Nardole?" the Doctor asked.

"What? You mean in the total of ten seconds while you were at the door?" the bald humanoid quipped. When the Doctor said "Yes" Nardole then gave a whimpering "Yeah. Lots."

Now interested and worrying Bill asked "Sorry, what exactly is going on?"

In response the Doctor pushed the screen over towards her to see. All Bill could see was what looked like a hole in the middle of nothing with a bunch of numbers, readouts and some Time Lord writing she couldn't understand.

"What's that?" Bill asked.

"The thing that's wrong that you were so insistent to know about" the Doctor replied.

"A hole?" Bill asked. "What? Is it a blackhole? Is it going to swallow the world or something?"

"If only it were something that simple, I wouldn't be worrying as much" the Doctor replied, dumbfounding Bill for a moment. "That is a hole in reality itself. A breach in the barrier between our universe and another."

"And it just appeared?" Bill asked while gesturing with her hands. "Like out of nowhere?"

"No! Not nowhere" the Doctor insisted. "From another dimension, like I said." He rushed around the control console while still explaining "The problem is we're unsure if the source came form this side or the other."

Trying to keep up with everything Bill asked "Well how bad can this be? A little rip in our can be fixed, right?"

In response the Doctor looked at her and asked "Have you ever seen what a tiny rip does to a hot air balloon?" Bill nodded before he continued "The hole will slowly start to get bigger and bigger. Breaking the thin surface of reality itself. And if it does there's no knowing of what will come through."

Surprised Bill asked "That bad?"

"Last time it happened there were Daleks and ghost robots" the Doctor bluntly replied before going back to his calculations.

"Ghost robots?" Bill asked with even more surprise.

"Yeah but not regular ghost robots" Nardole replied. "Everyone thought they were ghosts but they were actually robots from another universe you see. Not as interesting as the real thing."

Before Bill could ask anymore the Doctor gave an annoyed groan and said "The readings aren't giving us anything useful from here." He paused and looked at Nardole, Bill recognizing the inquisitive arch in his brow. "We're going to have to get a little closer."

Nardole gave a squeaking "Oh no. Please, not that!"

"Yes that!" the Doctor replied before starting to work the controls of the TARDIS.

While Bill only watched Nardole circled around and insisted "Sir, I cannot agree to this! What about your duties with the vault?"

"It's fine." The Doctor waved it off while still turning levers and such. "Missy's not going anywhere. She knows better."

For a brief moment Bill recalled that beneath St. Luke's was the one called "Missy", a dangerous Time Lord whom the Doctor had agreed to watch. While she had been helpful during past encounters that meant the difference between survival and death even Bill was unsure of her. If anything, the woman scared her. She couldn't help but feel herself siding with Nardole on this one.

Bill then perked up and asked "Is it such a good idea to get right up next to a whole in reality then? What if we get sucked through?"

"Nonsense" the Doctor replied before putting in the last coordinates. "We'll keep at a safe distance away. I just need to know which side it was opened from. Once we know that, patching it up will be easier."

"But if it's open from the other side," Bill began "like the other universe, what if something came through?"

The Doctor stopped, holding his hand on the control lever, and said "The best way to deal with multiple problems is with one solution: we deal with it however we can."

With that the Doctor pulled down the lever and the familiar sound of the TARDIS moving itself out of St. Luke's and through the vastness of space was heard. Bill looked up, listen to the unnatural but beautiful sound the TARDIS always made.

Near her though she could hear Nardole whining "I never like space travel. Much less interdimensional travel either."

A few moments passed before the Doctor said "We're coming up on her now. I'm going to park the TARDIS a good 20 lightyears away from it. Should be safe enough for-"

There was a violent lurch that sent everyone off their feet. Bill managed to catch herself on the railings nearby but she could see Nardole had fallen to the floor with the Doctor. The whole TARDIS began to shudder before it felt like it was going through a rapid river, everything shaking and slanted awkwardly.

"I take it this isn't supposed to be happening?" Bill called out to the Doctor.

"No, no, no!" the Doctor was repeating over and over while scrambling about the controls.

"I think we can assume that it's not supposed to happen" Nardole replied while trying to pick himself up.

The Doctor paused at another monitor and said "There's something wrong. The TARDIS is being drawn in by something within the other universe! It's too strong for her to resist!"

Bill was extra afraid now. The Doctor called out for everyone to hang on before an unsettling feeling came all over Bill. It felt like her insides were turning all over. It was sickening to the point she feared vomiting; even covering her mouth in the process. It was only for a moment but it felt like an eternal moment, especially when traveling in a time machine.

All at once everything suddenly stopped. There was a still silence before Bill opened her eyes. She could see the Doctor. She could see Nardole. They were alive and so was she. She gave a sigh of relief before getting back to feet.

"Well aside from the landing I'd say that could've been worse" Bill commented, brushing herself off.

"Oh, but it is" the Doctor replied with a sullen tone. "We've just landed within the other universe. There's no telling where or when. Or for that matter what is out there." He nodded his head towards the TARDIS doors.

"Well can't we just fly back?" Bill asked. "I mean if we went in, we can get back out, right?"

"We could if not for whatever it was that drew us here in the first place" the Doctor replied, checking all the TARDIS's functions and readouts. "Whatever brought the TARDIS here is keeping her here."

"Oh no" Nardole whined. "You're basically describing us as fish to a worm on a hook. I don't like fish. Or worms. Or being related either for that matter."

"So, what do we do?" Bill asked, looking between both of her alien friends for answers.

The Doctor looked towards the TARDIS towards and answered "All of this is starting to point towards a trap. And the last thing you want in a trap is a grumpy, old Time Lord armed to the teeth with a lot of smarts and a bad attitude." He turned back to Bill and added "Let's go see whose bright idea it was then." He then looked over and said "Nardole, stay with the TARDIS. If anything should happen lock onto my signal."

The bald humanoid nodded before mentioning "Doctor, if it is a trap, I suggest you go in extra prepared." The Doctor nodded at him before Nardole added "Bring the spoon."

"Good idea" the Docotr smirked before running over to collect his things.

Bill, feeling as lost as ever between the two of them, watched the Doctor "geared up" as he liked to call it. He had his sonic-screwdriver, sonic sunglasses, which he tucked into his pocket and two spoons; one of which he handed to Bill.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked, thinking this had to be a joke.

"You're one of my students, Bill" the Doctor replied. "Use your imagination."

"My imagination for defending myself doesn't include spoons. Not unless it's like a pudding monster or something."

"Be careful what you wish for" Nardole hummed to her as he waited by the consoles. "Well, anyway, have fun. Let me know how it goes. In case you die of course. Then don't tell me. I'd hate to hear those details."

With that "vote of confidence" the Doctor began to approach the doors leading out with Bill following behind. She tucked the spoon away in her jacket pocket though she kept her hand on it just in case.

Just as the Doctor put a hand on the door, she stopped him with "Doctor, wait. This is another universe, right? So, what if we run into evil clones of ourselves or something?"

"Evil clones?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah! Like with goatees or any of that stuff?" Bill insisted.

"Not to worry" the Doctor began. "I'm sure no matter how evil I'd become I'd never reduce myself to a goatee. A beard maybe."

Since the point seemed lost to the Time Lord, she said nothing else. Bill only waited until the Doctor opened the door and looked out to wherever they had landed.

Looking out herself Bill found the place odd to say the least. The TARDIS had landed in the middle of some sort of menagerie, behind a series of glass containers; each holding something alien inside of them from weapons, pieces of armor or ships to actual living specimens. As far as she knew they weren't on Earth anymore. Following the Doctor's lead, she stepped out of the TARDIS and began to walk down the corridor, seeing that each of the containers had labels describing whatever was inside. Things like "Shi'ar Royal Armor", "Alpha Centurion Arrows" and a normal looking cat that was labeled as "Flerken".

As she passed on case Bill jumped when the thing inside, some horrible incest creature with glowing yellow eyes, banged on the glass and hissed at her. It caught the Doctor's attention as he pulled her away before looking at the beast.

"What the hell is that?" Bill said with shock in her voice.

"A Brood warrior" the Doctor replied before pointing to the label at the bottom. He then got up closer to the glass, examining the incest with an intellectual wonder. "Fascinating."

"Why? Because it's trying to eat my face off?"

"Often the most interesting things in nature tend to do that" the Doctor replied before turning back towards the rest of the path. "The trick is learning all you can before that happens. Come on."

As they continued, passing more odd things, Bill asked "Doctor, what is this place? Some kind of museum? A zoo?"

"Museums usually don't keep live things. Nor do zoos keep unalive things" he replied, pulling out his sonic-screwdriver to scan the area.

"So, what then?"

"If I was a betting man, and I honestly need to cut down on it, I would call this a collection."

Hearing that made Bill look around again, taking in the actual scope of everything kept in the place. If it was indeed a collection this almost seemed like a perverse twist on the idea; especially when keeping living creatures as part of it. Whoever was running all of this must have had a lot of time and money on their hands as once they reached the corner both Bill and the Doctor could see several levels above, each housing more containers filled with more subjects and displays. At least now they had a better idea that they were inside somewhere.

Following the screwdriver like a magnet the Doctor directed Bill further on, saying "We're close. Whatever it is, it's emitting huge amounts of chronal energy. That's likely what brought the TARDIS towards here." He stopped, Bill seeing the screwdriver vibrating violently in his hands. "It's never done that before."

"Is that a good thing on a bad thing?" she asked.

"Right now, it's just a thing. Good or bad, well, we'll see in a minute" he replied.

They rounded another corner before finding the source of the sonic-screwdriver's high beeping. A case with a multicolored symbol sat on a desk, alone and unguarded. The Doctor had to tuck his screwdriver away, given the louder beeps it was making near the case. He told Bill to stand back while he opened it, unsure of what he was going to find. He carefully undid the locks and inch-by-inch lifted the door to see inside.

Even from where she stood Bill saw an orange glow coming from the case. As the Doctor fully opened it, she could see what he was seeing: a large orange gem that radiated with whatever power had brought the TARDIS here. It looked beautiful but had an air of danger to it that made Bill cautious to approach.

"Doctor?" she asked. "What is that?"

The Doctor, almost dazed by the gem, replied "Stone object basking potentially hazardous chronal radiation while emitting a strange glowing color. Or, in other words, a really shiny rock."

"Freeze!" they suddenly heard someone shout from behind, making both Bill and the Doctor turn.

Two armed aliens had their blasters pointed at them; Bill immediately putting her hands up. They were humanoid though their color of the skin, the near reptilian face on one, the avian features on the other, and the manner of clothing they wore indicated their non-Earth origin. The one who had shouted, the avian alien, came closer while keeping his firearm trained on the Doctor by the case.

"Ah! Gentlemen! Just who we wanted to see" the Doctor said in a faux familiar tone. "Was starting to question this place's security."

"Step away from that Time Stone. Now!" the alien threatened again.

The Doctor did so, coming right up next to Bill and whispering "Time Stone. Had a feeling it would be called something that that." Addressing the armed guards, he continued "I think you'll find, my good man, if you classify as such, that this all a great misunderstanding."

"Identify yourselves before we blast you into scrag bits" the alien threatened again.

Reaching into his pocket the Doctor produced his psychic paper, gave a quick "I think this should explain everything", before it was snatched from the reptilian thug.

The two aliens looked at the paper with annoyed confusion. Eventually the avian humanoid said "Nova Corps?" The Doctor was quick to assert that he was part of whatever that was. "You expect us to believe you're Nova Corps?"

"Of course, we're Nova Corps" the Doctor said with a slight belittlement in his tone. "Don't be so stupid now. Haven't you ever seen Nova Corps special ops agents in the field before?"

"Yeah, right" the reptile said as he shoved the paper back into the Doctor's hands. "Now tell me the one about the flying Orlonian while you're at it."

The other armed alien added "If you're Nova Crops then you'd know better than to go snooping through Mr. Tivan's collection. Especially behind his back."

"Mr. Tivan!" Bill spoke up, trying to help add the Doctor's ruse. "That's exactly who we were trying to see. Right, Doctor? You were just saying how Mr. Tivan was absent and we couldn't keep waiting around. What with all our Nova Corps business and all." She ended all of this with an awkward smile to the aliens.

"Good work" the Doctor leaned over and whispered. "I don't think they bought but, but still good work."

The Doctor seemed to be right at the avian said to his friend "You think they're bluffing?"

"Even if they aren't the Collector said anyone caught in here was supposed to be wasted." The reptile humanoid then aimed his blaster right for Bill while saying "We can always dump them into the disintegrator chutes anyways."

At the sound of the weapon charging to fire the Doctor quickly moved in front of Bill shouting "NO!" while she closed her eyes in fear.

Instead of a bang there was a loud zap, Bill flinching the moment it sounded. There came another. Bill realized she was unharmed. She peeked one eye open and saw the Doctor was too. He looked back at her before both looked to the aliens, both now on the floor with smoking holes in their backs.

"Consider that a warning shot, guys" they heard someone say, realizing there was now a group of newcomers standing in front of them.

There were six of them, four that seemed human while the other two were bizarre to say the least; and even for Bill that was a wide definition. The one who had shot the two thugs has a helmet covering his face, the two red eyes on it peering out as if looking through the soul. He also wore a long red jacket and what appeared to be small rockets on his boots. Another was greyish-green with red tattoo marks all over his shirtless, muscle-bound body. There was a green woman with a cold look at a heavily armored body, one Bill could not help but admire in the moment, while the other wore a green outfit and had what looked like antenna on her head; her eyes wide and black like an insect.

Then there were the other two. Bill was nearly baffled by the first one because he looked like an Earth raccoon. Despite standing on two legs, wearing jumpsuit-like armor and sporting a larger blaster over his shoulders the creature was indistinguishable from the wood dwelling rodents back home. The final member was, as far as Bill could tell, a living tree. It toward above the others at ten feet at least. If not for the shape of arms, legs and a clear face Bill would've thought the group had dragged a giant plant with them. It only further surprised Bill when the thing spoke.

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, they actually look dead, Peter" the green woman added.

"What? No way" the leader replied before peering at the bodies closer. He turned to the raccoon and griped "You think so?"

The bug-looking woman approached the nearest body and placed her hand on it. Bill watched the tips of her antenna glow for a moment before going dark as she turned to her teammates. "Oh yes. They are very dead."

The leader turned to the raccoon and griped "You said these were non-lethal rounds."

"Yeah" the raccoon said in a clear male English, further surprising Bill. "I SAID they were." He then began to hiss with laughter.

The helmeted alien argued "That's not funny, Rocket! I could've shot someone by mistake. Then what?"

"It would prove you cannot be trusted with a blaster?" the shirtless alien suggested. "Much like the time you proved you could not be trusted with the 500 units you lost on gambling."

"And the 200 you wasted on that Kree girl" the green woman added.

"Not to mention all the repairs we had to make because of your 'expert flying', Quill" the raccoon further added.

With all of that the leader sighed, throwing his head back and then down, before muttering "I really hate you guys sometimes."

The tree creature touched his arm and said "I am Groot."

The leader looked up and replied "That sounded sympathetic, Groot. So, thank you."

"Actually, he said we should see if the two humees are alright" the raccoon pointed to Bill and the Doctor; the two having been standing around baffled by the scene.

The leader cleared his throat, puffed up his chest, and put on a "heroic" voice as he approached them, saying "Not to worry, folks. Just a little Guardian business going on. You're free to go about your day, happy, safe and…whatever else makes you feel comfortable." He even gave something of a winking nod to Bill which only made her wince.

The Doctor replied first, saying "Guardians, are you? Of what?"

"Of the galaxy?" the leader said, as if asking if they really didn't know who they were.

Bill repeated "Guardians of the Galaxy? That's what you're supposed to be?"

"Seriously?" the leader said before tapping on the side of his helmet. The covering slowly dissolved into an earpiece, revealing a more human-looking man than the rest of the group. "You really don't know wo we are? Saved a bunch of planets? Took down the Mad Titan himself on more than one occasion?"

"Sorry" the Doctor replied bluntly. "We're not exactly from around here. And even so, we've never heard of you lot." He glanced down at the dead bodies and added "Though I think you might want to try something other than 'guardians' as a title. 'Violent Protectors of the Galaxy' maybe."

"That actually doesn't sound so bad" the shirtless alien commented.

"Whatever" the leader said with annoyance. "Can you two just do the favor of moving out of the way while we collect that Time Stone?"

He only took a step before the Doctor stood in his way, flashing out the psychic paper again, and said "Sorry, but this has come under official Nova Corps business. That 'Time Stone' will be coming with us."

"Odd" the green woman spoke up. "Nova Corps never mentioned sending anyone out here."

"Well, clearly Nova Corps doesn't tell you everything then" the Doctor replied with a slight snark in his voice. "I am designated with Nova Corps secret services. Codename: The Doctor. And my companion, codenamed: Bill Potts."

"Doctor?" the raccoon asked. "What kind of agent calls himself 'the Doctor'? It's like if I went around calling myself 'the Plumber'."

"I am Groot" the tree seemed to comment.

"No! That doesn't mean I'm considering a career change."

As the leader of the Guardians kept looking at the paper he shrugged "Everything checks out."

However, when the shirtless alien came up and looked, he peered at the paper and said "Your eyes must be damaged, Quill. This paper is blank."

The leader gave a quick "What?" followed by the Doctor giving a small "What?"

"There is nothing written on this piece of paper" the strong looking alien continued before leering at the Doctor and Bill. "I think these two are trying to trick us."

The Doctor and Bill backed up, the latter asking "Doctor? Please tell me you have a plan."

The green woman then came up, drawing a long blade, and pointed at the duo, demanding "Who are you two really? Kree sympathizers? Agents for the Sovereign?"

"Right now, I don't care who they are!" the raccoon said, brandishing his weapon at them now. "I'm about ready to blow them to hell and let the space gods sort it out."

Bill got behind the Doctor while the Time Lord, reaching into his pocket, threatened "Watch yourself there, mongoose. Or else I'll use this!" In a flash he whipped out a spoon from his pocket, all the Guardians looking at it and then him. Seeing this the Doctor gave a quick "Wrong pocket" before switching it out for his sonic-screwdriver. "There!"

"What? You going to write me to death with a fancy pen?" the raccoon chuckled.

The human then stood to the side while saying "Whoa! Whoa! Let's take a breath, guys. Chill out. We don't want to start shooting the wrong people here."

"Whose talking about shooting?" the Doctor snapped. "He's the one holding the gun, while I have a perfectly harmless screwdriver."

"Yeah. That's not exactly helping" Bill commented.

The tension soon rose as the green woman and shirtless alien drew their weapons and pointed them at the Doctor. The Time Lord kept a brave face while Bill caught her breath, fearing the worst. Suddenly the bug woman had come up, touching the Doctor's hand and the raccoon's head.

Her antenna glowed as she said "Sleep" making both suddenly pass out and drop to the ground.

While Bill was gob smacked the human Guardian sighed and gave a small "Good work, Mantis. Good, good work."

When the shirtless one pointed out "I do not believe you mean that" he received an annoyed look from the leader.

Nardol was pacing with worry around the TARDIS console. Every minute that passed was one too long in this other universe. With all his experiences he had with other realities, which were practically nil, and all the stories he heard about those traversing to them, which were many, he feared any number of things could go wrong.

The TARDIS gave a disagreeable noise and Nardole replied "Yes, yes. I know. They HAVE been gone a while. But the Doctor gave specific orders for me. Which I find rather ironic, giving that I've given him orders not to leave Earth. And now look where we are."

The TARDIS noised again before the bald alien sighed "Maybe your right. But only for a moment." He made a few adjustments on the console, saying aloud "Safety measures in order" before patting the TARDIS's controls. "Be back in half a moment. And I'll bring the Doctor back if I have to drag him by his next regeneration."

Nardole went to the doors of the TARDIS and carefully peeked through. There didn't seem to be anyone around. He stepped further out. Still in one piece. He tapped his pocket, making sure he still had a key for the TARDIS, before fully walking out and closing the door and locking it.

With his back to the rest of the room Nardole suddenly heard the charging on weapons behind him. He bit his lip before turning, realizing he should have checked closer. Three armed aliens all had blasters pointed at him; Nardole raising his hands and giving an awkward look at them all.

A fourth figure came in from behind the trio. He seemed human but Nardole could tell he wasn't; especially not from the elaborate robes he wore, the outrageous white hair was in, or the way he carried himself like some higher being. He stared at Nardole before looking at the TARDIS behind him; one of his brow arching with cold interest.

"How extraordinary" the man said. "I am familiar with all the pieces in my collection. But I never recall acquiring this…box." He then looked to Nardole and asked "What is this thing? And how did it come to my home?"

"That?" Nardole pointed behind with his hands still up. "Oh, nothing special. Just a fancy lavatory that is. Well, I say 'fancy' but actually there's no soap in the pushy part near the sink."

The Collector, as Nardole would soon learn he was called, gave a feint smirk to him. "Very well. If you will not tell me willingly, perhaps you will under more…convincing manners."

With only a gesture the three men descended on the helpless Nardole, the companion giving a squeaking "Doctor!" for help in a fruitless effort.

i To be continued… i/i


End file.
